Organisational Development: Office and the Secretary General One large theme throughout the second decade of EYP Finland has been professionalisation. Despite the fact that we are based on volunteering, the amount of work involved with the administration of a truly nation-wide and internationally connected youth organisation is a lot for young and unpaid board members. This decade has seen the realisation of two longterm goals: a permanent office building and a Secretary General, working full-time on the administrative work of EYP Finland. In 2013, we set up our first office at Uudenmaankatu in Punavuori, Helsinki. This was the first step towards hiring paid staff. Successful fundraising in 2014 enabled the hiring of parttime project managers for the first time. Juho Nikko worked in this role during 2014 and 2015. However, financial resources were still too tight to allow the hiring of a permanent Secretary General. To improve the financial situation, in 2015 the office moved to a more affordable location in Lauttasaari, and we negotiated with the Ministry of Education and Culture to change our status from “associations who do youth work” into 34
Annual Ball song
Meidän toimistoss’ made in the memory of Uudenmaankatu office and the building’s renovation difficulties (lyrics: Iida Lyly & Marja Pentikäinen) Meidän toimistoss’, meidän toimistoss’, on suuri railo ikkunass’, ja se laajenee, ja se laajenee, siis kaikki teippaamaan. Ykkösteippi (oikea käsi) Meidän toimistoss’, meidän toimistoss’... Ykkösteippi! Kakkosteippi! (vasen käsi) Ykkösteippi! Kakkosteippi! Kolmosteippi! ( oikea jalka) ...Nelosteippi (vasen jalka) Meidän toimistoss’, meidän toimistoss’, oli suuri railo ikkunass’, mut me teipattiin, ja lasi vaihdettiin, siis kaikki skoolaamaan. SKÅL!
